Electric track-sweeper.



A. M. GARDNER.

ELECTRIC TRACK SWEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1911.

A. M. GARDNER.

ELECTRIC TRACK EiWEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED 511N323, 1911,

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Mowwtoz Giana 262 UN ITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT M. GARDNER, OFTNDIANAPOLIS, Il'NDIANA.

ELECTRIC TRAGK-SWEEPER.

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

. Application filed June as, 1911. Serial No. ceases.

' fication.

This invention has relation to electrically operated track sweepers, and has for its object to provide such a sweeper which may be easily and readily applied to the sill of a car and which is operated by an electric motor for the purpose of keepin the track rails clear in advance of the wheels of the car.

With this object in view the structure includes brackets adapted to be applied to the 1c{ar sill and which adjustably support a yo e. a shaft having end sections connected thereto is journaled in the frame. motor is operatively connected with the said shaft and the end sections of the shaft carry brooms the axes of which are pitched at angles to the axis of the intermediate portion of the shaft. A hand operable means is provided and is connected with the said frame, whereby the yoke may be swung upon its pivotal connection with the brackets and the brooms may be raised and lowered with relation tothe track rails.

In the accompanying drawings: Fi re 1 is a side elevation "of the sweeper; i'g. 2 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the same, with parts in sectio. g

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and'indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

The sweeping apparatus includes brack ets 1 which are attached to the sill of a car i 2 and which are supported at their lower end portions by means of braces3. A yoke I 4. is pivoted at its sides between the lower ends of the brackets 1 and the said brackets are provided each ith a series of perforations 5 which are adapted to receive the pivot pins 6 which support the said yoke 4. A frame 7 is carried by theend portions of-the yoke 4 nd includes a for ward cross bar 8 which lies over a shaft to be explained. The cross bar 8 is provided A frame is carried by the yoke and The electric at a point intermediate its ends with a bowed section 9 which extends upwardly and forwardly and is adapted to act as a fender-for a sprocket wheel to be explained.

A shaft 10 1s journaled at its end portions in the ends of the yoke 4 and as before frame. This shaft is provided at a point stated lies under thecross bar 8 of the intermediate its ends with a fixed sprocket wheel 11 which lies within the bowed section 9 .of the said cross bar. Shaft sections 12 are ope'r'atively connected with the ends of the shaft 10 by means of universal joints 13 and the sections 12 are disposed atacute anglesto the shaft 10. The outer ends of the shaft sections 12 are journaled in the ends of the frame 7. Brooms 14 are carried by the shaft sections 12 and each said broom consists of a-wooden core 15 in which are inserts the inner ends of bristles 16 which are. eferablyof bamboo. A motor 17 is mounts upon the sill 2 of the car and is provided upon its shaft with a sprocket wheel 18. sprocket chain 19 passes around thes'procket wheels 18 and 11 and is adaptedto transmit rotary movement from the shaft of the motor 17- to the shaft '10.

Through the uniyersal 'oints 13 rotary movement is transmitted mm the shaft 10 to the shaft sections 12. Thus the brooms are revolved. When in operation the brooms; are above and in contact with thetrackTailg-ahd their axes are at acute angles to the long dimensions of the said rails.

.A hanger 20 is" 'pivotally connected at its upper enclfoo the sill 2 of the car and is provided at its lower end with a ,journaled pulley 21 whi in turn is provided with a grooved perip' ery which receives and supports the lower run of the sprocket chain 19. A coil spring 22 is attached at one end to the hanger 20 at a point intermediate the endsgthereo'f and is under tension with a tendency to hold the periphery of the pulley 21 against the lower run of the chain 19.

wardly from the sill 2 and is provided at its lower end with aournaled pulley 24. Pulleys 25 [and 26 are ou'rnaled at the under side of the sill 2, pulley 25 being ofthe brackets .1 and the pulley 26 being hehind :the said 'bl'eckets. A Windlass 27 1s i nrncldi at the platform or vestibule of thecar and means of anyde sired form may .An arm 23 extends forwardly and down in advance 'which the car wheels rotate. Consequently ried by he provided for holding the said Windlass against rotation. A cable 28 is trained around the windlass 27, thence passes under the pulley 25, thence over the pulley 26 and is connected at one end with an eye 29 carthe cross bar 8 of the frame 7. From the Windlass 27 cables 28 extend down under the pellley 24 and are provided with coil sprin s ,ions 30 which in turn are connecte will be seen that by turnin the Windlass 27 the cables 28 may be mdv longitudinally, whereby the yoke 4 will be swung upon its pivot pins 6 so that the frame 7 and itsattachments will be elevated or lowered with relation to the track rails. When the said frame is in lowered position the brooms 14 will be resiliently held against the track rails by the spring sections 30 provided in the cables 28. V

The electric circuit which operates the motor includes a source of power, indicated at 31, which is electrically connected with the said motor with a switch device 32. The said switch device 32 is electrically'connected with a rheostat 33 which in turn is electrically connected with the said motor 17. Therefore it will be seen that by closing the switch 32 and manipulating the rheostat 33 the motor 17 ma be rotated at any desired rate of speed, an as 'hereinbefore stated this rotary movement is transmitted to the shaft, shaft sections and brooms. Therefore as the car'proceeds along the track rails the brooms rotating in advance'of the forward wheels thereof will clear the treads of the said rails of obstructions and the supporting wheels of the car may have ample traction with the rails. The.material removed from the rails is cast by the brooms beyondthe outer sides of the rail andtherefore this material needs to be operated upon but once on] by the brooms to clear the rails. This is ue to the peculiar disposition of the brooms with relation to the rails.

The sweeper is in the form of an attachagentand may be easily and quickly a plied or removed from the sill of a car, an with thisattachment applied each car so equipped ma 'serve as a 'means for keeping the track ra' free of accumulated obstruction, such for instance as-leaves, snow etc.

The parts of the apparatus are so arranged that the broom when in operation rotate in a direction opposite' te thatin the material is lifted from the rails and'cas beyond the sides of the same.

with the said eye 29. Therefore it.

Having thus described is claimed as new is:

1. A sweeper adapted to be applied to the sill of a vehlcle comprisin brackets, a yoke pivotall mounted in the brackets, a frame carried y the yoke, a shaft journaled in the yoke, shaft sections journaled in the frame and connected with the shaft by universal joints, brooms carried b the shaft sections,

the invention, what resiliently holding the brooms in sweeping position.

2. A sweeper adapted to be applied to the sill of a vehicle comprisin brackets, a yoke pivoted in the brackets, a rame attached to he yoke and including a cross bar having an intermediate bowed section, a shaft jour flaled in the yoke and extending under the crossbar, a sprocket wheel attached to the shaft and located within the bowed section .of the cross bar, shaft sections journaled in the frame and operatively connected with the shaft by universal joints, brooms carried by the shaft sections, a motor mounted upon the sill of the vehicle and having its shaft operatively connected with the s rocket wh'eel u on the first mentioned sliaft, and means or resiliently holding the brooms in sweeping position.

3. A sweep-er adapted to be applied to the silLof a vehicle comprising brackets, a yoke pivoted in the brackets, a frame carried by the yoke, a shhft j ournaled in the yoke, shaft sectlons journaled in the frame and extending at angles to the axis of the said shaft and operatively connected with the shaft b universal joints, brooms carried by the sliaft sections, means for rotating the shaft, and means for resilientlyholding the brooms in sweeping position.

4. A sweeper adapted to be ap lied to the sill of a vehicle comprising brac ets, a yoke pivoted therein, rotating brooms carried by the yoke, means for rotating the brooms,

, means for resiliently holdingthe brooms in means for rotating the s aft, and means for sweeping position consistin of a Windlass, pulleysjournaledto the si 1 o f the vehicle 195 m presence 0 two witnesses.

-Witnesses L. 0. Contain ,Rron'ann M. Lamas.

001ml of this patent may be obtained man. each, by sunning the semi-rear ratentl.

- wuhlngft on, D. 0."

. In testimon whereof, I aflixliny signature ALBERT M. GARDNER. .11.. 8. 

